The Moment
by Kairou Watoshimi
Summary: It was such a familiar expression: a tilt of his head and a gentle smile stretched across his lips but it made her heart but pound hard against her chest.
1. Spark

**Because for some reason I'm on a CSI: Miami marathon and this pairing. **_**This pairing! **_**Anyway, what's with all the hate this pairing gets anyway? I don't understand.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: Miami or any of its characters.**

Moments  
[1] Spark

If there was something Calleigh hated more than anything it was someone underestimating her. She's a strong, independent woman who has pretty much been taking care of herself since her father first decided to pick up his ninth bottle of beer one night. Calleigh knew how to take care of herself; she knew how to hold a gun, how to use it, and how not to hesitate because hesitating got people killed. Calleigh didn't go through academy training just to stand back and watch some guy fight her fights.

Lieutenant Caine was her third lieutenant but from the very beginning she knew that there was something about him, something different that set him apart from everyone else. She held herself at arm's length though, not wanting to place her trust in someone who may not know the definition of "promises". Lord knows she had enough of that to last a lifetime.

"_No, lambchop! I quit drinking six months ago."_

Or:

"_Calleigh, you don't need to worry about me. I'm doing completely fine! I only had a glass."_

And, her favorite:

"_I'm quitting for good this time, lambchop. I_ promise."

So when the suspect that she was questioning attempted to make a grab at her, somewhere in the back of her mind she was waiting for Horatio to budge between the two of them and save a princess that did not want any saving. But Horatio simply stood to the side (with his gun out and ready just in case) and watched Calleigh show him exactly what she was made out of.

"I'd like to see you try that again," she breathed into the suspect's ear, breathing heavily from the brief struggle. She looked up then, flipping her hair over her shoulder and met Horatio's gaze. As she had expected he was tense but not to the point where it seemed as if he was going to jump into the struggle for her.

And she realized: he trusted her.

_He trusted her. _

He trusted her strength and believed in her ability to defend herself. He didn't see her as a pretty girl in need of saving. The realization made a small, almost hesitating smile stretch across her lips. As the officers who were waiting just outside the room came in and took the suspect away, Horatio tilted his head slightly and a gentle smile touched his lips.

It was such a familiar expression, she has seen it a million times before but it sent her heart pounding anyway.

And when his eyes softened and his smiled widened just a bit more, Calleigh knew she was in love.


	2. Smokescreen

**This story was actually only supposed to be a single chapter long but then I realized that I never marked the story as complete. Additionally, I had a few nice reviews that just made me want to write more. **

**Finally, I have rewritten the first chapter slightly, so feel free to go back and read it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: Miami or any of its characters.**

Moments  
[2] Smokescreen

Horatio has always loved Yelina even despite the fact that she's his brother's widow and that he really does think of her as a sister-in-law. There's a part—a small part—that wishes, that hopes, that _dreams._

He dreams of waking up in a mess of brown curls, looking deeply into soft chocolate brown eyes but no matter how much he wishes, how much he hopes, and how much he dreams, he knows, somewhere in the back of his mind that he didn't want it all. He _did _want some of it, of course—oh! How he wanted it—but he didn't the entire thing.

Haratio dreamt of Yelina but he has never dreamt of a life with her.

One morning, Horatio woke up and decided that he was sick of it all. He was sick of being _almost _in love with his brother's widow. He was sick of watching afar and wondering what Yelina felt and he was sick of worrying: What happens if Yelina shared his feelings? Would he be willing to take a step towards her and at the same time, push the shadow of his brother behind him?

Horatio liked Yelina but he didn't want to live a life with her.

"Horatio."

His head snapped up and he almost jerked in surprise when he found himself looking into familiar chocolate brown eyes. "Yes?" he asked, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

"You alright?"

Blinking rapidly, he force himself to nod. "Yes, of course. Yes."

His words, no surprisingly did nothing to convince her and he almost faltered underneath Yelina's gaze as she searched his eyes for answers he wasn't willing to give.

"It's the case, isn't it?" she asked softly.

"Ah…" Horatio breathed. "No… I'm just… ah, thinking."

_Thinking, indeed._

"Okay," she replied slowly. "Well, I'm here to listen if you need anyone to talk to."

Horatio nodded. "Thank you, but I think I'm alright."

She left him alone after that and Horatio gave himself another moment so he could push the thoughts far, far, _far _into the depths of his mind. Finally, he sighed, got up and walked away from his seat—his thoughts, really. He was as ready as he ever will be. There would be no more thinking of Yelina. He was done half wishing, half hoping, half dreaming.

"How are we doing, Calleigh?" he asked quietly, as he pushed open the doors to her lab.

She looked up and flashed a smile in his direction. It was a familiar expression, just a small quirk of her lips that lit up her entire face and made her eyes glitter with warmth.

He blinked.

"The bullet's a match," she answered, folding her hands out in front of her, the smile never leaving her face.

Her words register and he blinked for an entirely different reason. "A match," he repeated, his voice sounding odd even to his own ears. He opened his mouth, ready to ask if she was sure but thought better of it. Of course, she was sure, Calleigh was always sure.

"I know," Calleigh answered, as if reading his mind. "But I've double and triple checked everything. It's him, Horatio."

He made a small hum from the back of his throat and nodded. "I guess I'll begin the paperwork then." He turned to leave. It really was strange, if he thought about it, an easy case; they _never _get the easy cases. Not that he was complaining, of course. The sooner they solve the cases, the quicker the put the—

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Horatio froze. He swallowed hard and wondered if his thoughts—his real ones—were showing so visibly on his face. He took a moment to adjust his facial muscles. "Calleigh?" he asked, turning around to face her because his face was relaxed, his smile sincere.

The younger woman smiled, teeth flashing and eyes glinting. "It's alright if you don't, I just thought you should know that I'm here to listen."

"Thank you, Calleigh," Horatio said carefully.

"_It's the case, isn't it?" Yelina had asked._

"But," he continued. "I think I'm okay. The case is over."

Calleigh looked at him, the small smile still dancing across her lips. Finally, after a moment, she shook her head and let out a breath. Grabbing a few tools off of her lab table, she began cleaning up and said softly, "If it was about the case, I wouldn't need to ask."

Horatio froze again. "Excuse me?"

"You don't have to worry about a thing, handsome," Calleigh said, looking up again. Her eyes cut through him like glass; she was tearing him apart with his gaze and reading all his secrets. With a soft voice, small smile and a clear eye, she was able to read him like no other.

He felt his heart pound.

"Boys like you never stay single long."

Horatio chuckled.


End file.
